Tafsir of Al-Muddathir 74:2

Surah Al-Muddathir 74:2

ﲝ ﲞ

Arise and warn

Tafsir

Ruh al-Ma'ani

Verse range: 74:2

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Al-Muddaththir: (2) "Arise and warn."

(Arise) from your place of rest, or arise with determination and resolve. Abu Hayyan interpreted this meaning as one of the verbs of commencement (af'al al-shuru'), such as in the saying, "Zayd qama (began) doing such and such," and the poet’s saying: A base person began (qama) to revile me.

He argued that qama in this sense is akin to kada (almost). This has been countered by the fact that its remoteness here is not hidden, as it is an unfamiliar usage, and the arrival of an imperative from it is unknown, in addition to requiring the estimation of a predicate within it; all of which is forced interpretation.

(And warn): that is, perform the act of warning or bring it into existence. No specific person to be warned is intended. It has been said that the object is estimated as specific—meaning, "Warn your closest kindred"—due to its relevance to the beginning of the call in reality. It has also been said that it is estimated as general—meaning, "Warn all people"—based on the saying of the Exalted, "And We have not sent you except as a bringer of good tidings and a warner to all mankind."

He did not say here "and give good tidings," because it was at the inception of Prophethood, and warning was the dominant mode at that time; or, it is a matter of sufficiency (iktifa), because warning necessitates giving good tidings.

In this command, following that call, there is an indication—according to some of the masters—of the station of Jalwa (manifestation) after Khalwa (seclusion). They said that these two are also indicated in the Hadith: "I was a hidden treasure, and I loved to be known..."